In the summer of 1940, Britain stood on the brink. The echo of marching jackboots across Europe signalled the threat of invasion. With the professional army reeling from Dunkirk and defences stretched thin, the nation called upon its civilians to step forward. Among those who answered were the determined men of Woodcote.
On a grey morning in June, men of all ages gathered at the local police station, prepared to enlist in a newly formed force — the Local Defence Volunteers, or LDV. Farmers, shopkeepers, and retired servicemen waited patiently in line, some still in work clothes, others clutching old hunting rifles or sturdy walking sticks.

The LDV had been hastily created in May 1940 following a broadcast by War Secretary Anthony Eden, who urged men aged 17 to 65 to join the effort. It was a pragmatic response to a desperate situation: Britain had few trained soldiers left on home soil. These civilian volunteers, despite initial shortages of proper uniforms and weapons, were tasked with defending vital infrastructure and protecting local communities against potential paratrooper landings and enemy sabotage. On June 5th, The Times reported, “The Secretary of State and the Army Council regard the Local Defence Volunteer Force as a really vital part of our essential defence. It was no mere outlet for patriotic emotion, but a fighting force which might be at death grips with the enemy next week or even tomorrow… The response had been absolutely magnificent. More than 400,000 men had already been enrolled.”

That same indomitable spirit was alive in Woodcote. Armed with little more than a few hunting rifles and their fierce determination, these men were ready to stand firm against a highly trained enemy force.




The Times further acknowledged the challenges facing this civilian army: “The plan was… to be carried out through the voluntary services of many elderly, gallant military gentlemen, whose patriotism he respected, but who in many cases were too old to meet the menace of young, specially trained Nazi troops.” Despite these obstacles, the paper noted a “magnificent spirit throughout the country” and described the volunteers as “a finer body of men more determined that Nazi aggression should not succeed.”



Though some snidely dubbed the LDV “Look, Duck, and Vanish,” the Volunteers proved their mettle. Within weeks, they were conducting night patrols, setting up observation posts, and training in makeshift drills on village greens. Improvisation became the order of the day — spades and pitchforks standing in for rifles, homemade Molotov cocktails in place of grenades. Yet their resolve never wavered.

By July 1940, the LDV was renamed the Home Guard, eventually boasting over 1.5 million members nationwide. The courage of these early volunteers laid the foundation for a formidable defensive force that played a critical role in Britain’s wartime efforts.
The men who answered the call remind us of the power of ordinary people rising to extraordinary challenges. Their legacy, along with that of countless others across Britain, continues to inspire — a testament to courage, community, and an unwavering determination to protect home and country.

Many thanks to Gareth Clark for the photographs.
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